What's the point of reading the early philosophers when

Start with the Greeks

philosophy is neither right nor wrong

>>9802833
Well, my froggy faggot friend. Most if what they believed was actually correct, including their beliefs on belief. For instance, your opinion actually has a truth value. Wild, isn't It? And guess what? It's wrong!

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>>9802844
>your opinion actually has a truth value
This. Fact/value distinction is the worst thing to happen to rational thought since the Trinity became dogma.

>>9802840

Don't mind this brainlet

>>9802833
Because even though the early philosophers (e.g. the presocratics) were wrong on many issues, they still shaped western philosophy. They laid the foundation of our concepts, philosophical subjects, our perspectives, our epistemological/metaphysical/ontological perspectives. Fuck, even terms such as 'metaphysics' originate from these philosophers. One simply cannot completely understand and participate in philosophical debate without knowledge of this fundamental background.

>>9802833
It's not the 'what' they believed but 'how' they thought that is of importance. A way of thinking was codified there that's with us to this day.

There is no point to philosophy. Just look at this thread. These are the "intellectuals." Proud and defensive, yet whining and attacking.

>>9802856
That's not what truth value means you fucking pseud.

>>9802833
Because if Aristotle had never written about the importance of defining terms and using them carefully, Sam Harris would never know to say he needs to plant a flag here.

They are things you didn't learn in school.

>>9802833
Greeks were right about everything
the rest is just commentary on their ideas or taking ideas from asia/india

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>>9802859
This
>tfw you realize that Plato did more to shape western civilization then anyone else in history.

>>9802907
Please just fucking kill yourself

Sage

>>9802934
how so

>>9802833

Why would Einstein derive the concepts of motion from scratch without drawing from Newton (that, by all means, believed a lot of things that turned out to be very wrong)? Knowledge is cumulative, I don't even know if you'd ever ask that question if you actually started with the Greeks. Let us see you come up with the concept of fatalism without ever drawing back to Aristotle, for example.

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>>9802833
he thinks philosophers today are less wrong than philosophers yesterday. he thinks there is progress in philosophy and technology

>>9802956
Why is he wearing a chain like he's in the 90s

Heraclitus and Zeno are great.

>>9802938
That was a grievous sin, anon. I hope your soul can bear my suicide.

>>9802945
By laying the groundwork for western intillectual tradition and political theory.

>>9802945
You would be hard pressed to find a single important philosophical question that he did not ask. He put them all on the table.

>>9802956
Look at that awful mugshot, that cesspit of confused desperation, and tell me why you chose to focus on the chain.

>invent futures markets
>observe basic atomic and global facts of the world without a microscope or telescope "required" by modern standards
>modern bitches try to compete
>me_relaxing_in_all_the_olive_groves_of_ionia_wit_all_yo_moms_and_gfs.zip
>yfwynb as based as thales

>>9802833
If you read enough Nietzsche you will come to understand why you need Plato and Aristotle.
That's what happened to me, at least.

Reminder that you're not a real intellectual until you've read the complete works of Aristotle and Plato. Yes, including Aristotle's biology shit.

It's about 5000 pages, so get started.

>>9803033
Futures markets existed in ancient Mesopotamia first.

>>9803017
he never asked who did more to shape western civilization than anyone else in history

Look at the figures of speech they employ and note the examples.

>>9803049
greeks invented mesopotamia tho

>>9803048
Fuck you no one needs to read all of Aristotle

I know this is bait and I don't care

>He doesn't think Parmenides is the best presocratic

>>9802833

You use the knowledge you learn from them to bring up in inappropriate times in conversation with women to prove how much smarter you are than them, which you are sure will get you laid, and then they never speak to you again.

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>>9802934
>idealism